Shiraki Mayuko
Shiraki Mayuko also referred to as 'Mayu-sensei' by her students is Tohru, and her friends homeroom teacher. The subject she teaches was never specified, but in an author's note, Natsuki Takaya stated it is probably Literature. Her parents, who worry about Shiraki being unmarried, are running a bookstore where she sometimes helps out in her spare time. Takaya said in an author's note that Shiraki is "possibly sad" that she is a woman and "secretly insecure of how tall she is", but since Hatori is tall too, they "might look pretty good together as a tall couple". Background It's unknown what Chinese Zodiac year she was born on including about her early childhood. Mayu has been best friends with Kana Sohma since college. Ever since Kana introduced Hatori to her, Mayu has liked him. However, she suppressed her feelings in front of Kana. She also started to spend much time with Hatori, Shigure and Ayame Sohma along with Kana. Although Kana and Hatori never vocalized their relationship, Mayu knew they were lovers and hoped that Hatori and Kana would be out of her reach so they could be happy forever. Shigure sensed that Mayu loved Hatori and had proposed the idea of them dating, since both of them couldn't have the people they wanted, and since they were both lonely as well. Mayu however broke up with Shigure after two months. During that time, a traumatic incident occurred to both Kana and Hatori. Mayu was stunned and heartbroken during Kana's mental breakdown, and was unsure how to comfort her friend when she was not allowed to know the full details. After Kana was slowly recovering, Mayu understood that Kana had her memories of her and Hatori's relationship erased. She then distanced herself from Hatori and focused more on Kana's happiness. She was later on shown meeting up with Hatori then inviting him out to a drink, while she sent Ayame some copies of Kana's wedding photo's. Personality Mayuko Shiraki is depicted as a good-humored, but sometimes aggressive, young woman. Her interactions with Kyo prove that she can have a little fun with her students. For an instance, she slammed Kyo with a book after he attempted to escape from one of her classes, and "threatened" to dye his hair black if he did it again. She also poured a bucket of water over Kyo and Yuki to interrupt their fight. Despite that, she cares dearly about her students and wants them to succeed in life. Although she doesn't like to meddle in personal business, she is seen to be visibly upset when her student's parents are rude, such as the case when she had a conference with Yuki and his mother. While she is called an "aggressive woman" by Kyo, she is well-loved by her students. Mayu has a tough exterior and is seen to be very outspoken, social and rarely afraid to say what she is thinking. Although she is quite easy-going for the most part, she can be level-headed and firm when needed to be. She is very independent and true to herself for the most part. This stems from her previous relationship with Shigure, as they both only dated each other to ease both of their loneliness. Mayu never wants to go back to the person she was back then, because she understands that dating other people will increase her loneliness. She simply states that she won't be defeated by her loneliness and will choose her happiness for herself. Despite her tough exterior, Mayu is extremely devoted to those closest to her, such as Kana and Hatori. She is extremely selfless and often thinks about others before herself. Kana describes her as a person who is so considerate of others that she sometimes tends to suppress her own feelings. Although she has always been in love with Hatori, she decided to suppress her own feelings because she only yearned for Kana and Hatori to be happy together. When Kana's memories of Hatori were erased, Mayu refused to meet with Hatori because she didn't want to "betray" either of them. However, with the support of Kana and her friends, she realizes to let go of the past and face the future where she can truly be happy, and in doing so, pursue Hatori romantically. Appearance Mayu Shiraki is an adult young woman with a tall and slim build, fair skin, and sharp, light brown eyes. She has a beauty-mark under her left eye. She has free-falling bangs covering most of her forehead and long, straight light brown which she wears in different styles: in school, she keeps it tied into a ponytail at the back. When at home or in some instances, she keeps her hair down, occasionally with a piece of her hair tied into a bun at the back. Towards the end of the series, Mayu cuts her hair short, to about nape-length. Abilities She is skilled by using objects to stop her students from leaving her class. Fruits Basket Manga Originally Mayu-sensei seemed to be nothing more than the main casts homeroom teacher although it is later revealed (and hinted in book 7) that she is/was old friends with Kana Sohma, Hatori's old love and Shigure Sohma's ex-girlfriend, although the two parted on rather bad terms seeing as how they were only together because neither wanted to be alone, only the faux relationship made her feel more isolated. Mayuko was so stunned, and heartbroken during Kana's mental breakdown unsure how to comfort her friend when she was not allowed to know the full details. She was later shown meeting up with Hatori then inviting him out to a drink, she seems on at least good enough terms with Ayame Sohma seeing as how she sent him some copies of Kana's wedding photo's. Mayu does not appear in Fruits Basket Another but it is known that she is married to Hatori and they have a daughter named Kinu. It is known that Kinu doesn't want to follow in either of her parent's footsteps, as in becoming a doctor or teacher. 'Fruits Basket (2019 Anime)' She is first seen telling Tohru that she has a phone call from her grandpa. Then she is seen stopping Kyo from leaving her class. She then tells everyone who fail their midterms to make it up on the weekend. Quotes *Looks like I got a runner *(to Shigure) You are so annoying Relationships 'Her Mother' She loves her mother very much. 'Sohma Kana' Shiraki's best friend is Kana, Hatori's former fiancee. Ever since they were in college, they've been inseparable together. When Kana introduced Hatori to Mayuko, Mayuko fell in love with him, but kept it a secret from Kana since she knew from their actions that they have a relationship. It's noted that Mayuko still keeps in touch with Kana even after her break up with Hatori, and marriage to her new husband. As she had went to Kana's wedding. 'Sohma Ayame' She seems to get along with Ayame very well. 'Sohma Shigure' She was dating Shigure for about 1 month before they broke up, because Shigure was only dating her out of sympathy. Shigure keeps in touch with Mayuko by visiting her parents' bookshop. At one point, he playfully asks her to start dating him again, only to be rejected by her. He actually sets Mayuko up with Hatori as a way of making it up to her. 'Sohma Hatori' She had a crush on him, but refrained from acting upon it because of Kana. However, throughout the series, she and Hatori share mutual attraction, and in the end start dating. 'Sohma Kinu' 'Honda Tohru' 'Uotani Arisa' 'Hanajima Saki' 'Sohma Kyo' 'Sohma Yuki' Knownable Relatives *'Unnamed Mother' *'Unnamed Father' *'Sohma Hatori' (Husband) *'Sohma Kinu' (Daughter) *'Sohma Kana' (Best Friend) Trivia *She doen't appear or is mentioned in the 2001 anime series. *In the final chapter, Shiraki and Hatori are shown as a couple. With Hatori inviting her to go with him on an Okinawa vacation. *In Japanese culture, cutting one's hair is symbolized by starting anew or starting a new chapter in one's life. In Mayu's case, she cut her hair short once she left her past of regret and guilt behind, and then found her own happiness and started a new loving life with Hatori. *She likes to be called (by her students) "Mayuko-daisensei-sama", literally meaning the "Great Teacher Mayuko-sama". *Although her debut is in Episode 7 of the 2019 anime, she makes a silhouette/voice appearance in Episode 4 by telling Tohru that she has a phone call. *Despite being Tohru and the other's homeroom teacher and introduced early on, she does not appear at all in the 2001 version of the anime. *Takaya said in an author's note that Shiraki is "possibly sad" that she is a woman and "secretly insecure of how tall she is", but since Hatori Sohma is tall too, they "might look pretty good together as a tall couple". *The subject she teaches was never specified, but in an author's note, Natsuki Takaya stated it is probably Literature. Voice Actresses *'Japanese' : Hitomi Nabatame (2019 anime) *'English' : Anastasia Munoz (2019 anime) all information on Shiraki Mayuko came from http://fruitsbasket.wikia.com/wiki/Mayuko_Shiraki Gallery Kdasv5h627kthtpxuzvg2egl3jtzk6q2 hq.jpg Mayuko.jpg Category:Characters Category:Females